Methods and devices for the preparation of biomolecules such as nucleic acids from samples are known.
Nucleic acid-based diagnostic procedures in commercial and academic laboratories often require nucleic acid extractions from biological substances. Applications range from forensic DNA-fingerprinting to medical, agricultural and environmental monitoring. It is important that any nucleic acid extraction be free from contamination particularly where concentration of nucleic acid in the initial sample is very low or where contamination can lead to incorrect outcomes.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has rapidly become one of the most widely used techniques in molecular biology. It is a rapid, inexpensive and simple means of producing relatively large numbers of copies of DNA molecules (via enzymatic amplification of a specific nucleic acid sequence of interest) from minute quantities of source material, even when the source nucleic acid is of relatively poor quality.
Although any protocol for template nucleic acid preparation is acceptable for PCR purposes, it is often best to use as few steps as possible for nucleic acid preparation in order to prevent yield reduction or accidental contamination with unwanted nucleic acid.
Known methods and devices for nucleic acid preparation typically involve processing the sample, for example, degrading tissue or lysing cells in the sample using physical homogenisation, enzymes, powerful detergents or chaotropic agents. The processed sample is then added to a column, sinter, beads or paramagnetic beads comprising a solid silica matrix that binds the nucleic acid. The silica matrix is washed, and the nucleic acid eluted in a low salt buffer to release the nucleic acid.
Additional purification or partial purification steps may be required to remove undesirable compounds co-extracted from the sample that interfere with downstream applications of the extracted nucleic acid, for example, contaminants that inhibit the PCR.
The minimisation of contamination is a significant factor in the purification of other biomolecules, such as peptides or proteins.
Existing methods and devices to extract or purify biomolecules are costly, time-consuming, require considerable handling by a skilled user, have a relatively high risk of contamination by the user, utilise toxic reagents, require complex equipment and/or reagents, and/or produce waste material having a significant environmental impact.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and device for preparing, extracting, purifying and/or separating a biomolecule that overcome one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.